Tag: reading

The Great Library Crawl – Part 2

As I continue my great library crawl I visit suburban libraries in vastly different places – from Morley to Peppermint Grove. I even find the library in Parliament House, and one named after one of WA’s fave rocker’s mothers!

Library #5 to #8 in my Great Library Crawl begins in Peppermint Grove.

Peppermint Grove Library

Peppermint Grove, where no one has to put out their bins (so I am told) is one of Perth’s well-to-do suburbs. Even well-to-do suburbs have libraries and anyone can visit them. Does this make libraries the great equalisers?

Anyway, the Peppermint Grove Library, or ‘The Grove’ was very much like any library and had everything a library visitor could wish for – spacious and welcoming with a bustling kids zone and a brilliant collection of travel mags for me to browse through and come up with another pitch.

The cafe wafted caffeine my way but I was already sated so I didn’t try their wares. A library cafe is such a great addition to a library – Book cafe on steriods!

I do have a memory of Peppermint Grove Library from my teaching years. I attended an award presentation when one of my students was presented with a literary award.

Morley Public Library

A trip to one of my least favourite places, the indoor shopping centre at Morley Galleria (fondly renamed ‘gonorrhea’ by my teens) had me fleeing for a haven of peace and quiet. In a nondescript building within walking distance of Galleria is the Morley Public Library.

A brilliant mural makes this 80s brick bunker with no windows, somewhat funky. The library delivered, with many quiet nooks and computer spaces and of course a great collection of books!

Ruth Faulkner Library & Museum – Belmont

Ok so this library is pretty specky! Ruth Faulkner is Dave Faulkner’s (of Hoodoo Guru fame) mother and the museum has some of Perth’s best rock n roll memorabilia. Of course there’s Hoodoo Gurus displays along with other well known (to Perth locals) band merch. An upright piano sits invitingly asking to be played and music snippets take you back to the good ol’ days of live music in P Town.

Ruth Falkner Library itself has this state of the art book return system that looks like it has been designed by Rube Goldberg . Talk about machines taking over the world!

And yes, it has books and mags and even a section where you can purchase items. Ticks all the boxes.

Parliament House Library – Perth

My great library crawl has taken me places I wouldn’t normally go to seek peace and quiet. The Parliament House Library, or ‘The Parliamentary Library’ was not on my list but when I chanced upon it following a work lunch in the Parliament House dining room (yes, I know!) I had to make mention.

I was not allowed to take pics but let me tell you it was very grand. All the books neatly lined up with matching covers and the most comprehensive collection of newspapers I have ever come across.

We also met and chatted with some Hansard reporters who were inbetween jobs. They were wandering around with a notepad counting swans! Yes, you heard right! The WA symbol, the black swan, is everywhere once you start looking. I am unsure of the final result, but I counted at least 30 on my way out. When you know you know!

To be continued…

I have slowed down somewhat on my library crawl because I now have my home restored – but there are still some beauties to come, a country town library and one of Perth’s jewels in the crown. Fear not, the crawl will continue albeit in a slower fashion.

The Great Library Crawl – Part 1

When family came to stay libraries were my friend. So begins my Great Library Crawl!

The beginning – Libraries No. 1 to No. 4

You don’t fully appreciate what it’s like to know peace and have a quiet place to be until you don’t (for an extended time). I only have time to document this now because I have come out the other end and my sanctuary is restored!

What was this time of disturbance you ask? Recently my family (son, daughter-in-law and two littlies) arrived home to find the Niagra Falls inside their rental. Well, it was me who discovered the horror when I dropped by to deliver groceries before driving to pick them up from the airport. And there’s nothing harder than telling a travel-weary family their home is uninhabitable at 2:00 am. Lucky for them, we had room at the inn!

Guess what? As I have now discovered and been informed burst pipes under your bathroom sink are more common then you think. TURN OFF YOUR MAINS BEFORE GOING AWAY PEOPLE!

Anyway, I digress because what does this have to do with libraries?

There’s nothing like a full house and no room to escape to start me looking out for quiet and somewhere to breathe! Don’t get me wrong I love my family very much. But libraries have been my saviour this past several months.

The State Library of Western Australia

I started with the ‘mother ship’ – The State Library of Western Australia – the font of all historic records and local history exhibits, the Disrupted Festival hub and the place to go for some peace and quiet.

The State Library is capacious and she really is the true ‘mother ship’ of Western Australian libraries. Like a mother swan she encompasses all libraries beneath her Western Australian wings!

She lets you in and shelters you under her high ceilings while impressing you with her multitude of floors. And how about that glass elevator!

City of Fremantle Library

From one major library to the next – I found myself in Fremantle with some time to kill before a lunch meeting with some freelance writers so I did the writerly thing and went to hang at the library!

The Fremantle Library is a thing of beauty and I have attended workshops here in the past – the meeting rooms are comfortable and versatile. The great thing about this library is that it is open on a Sunday. The library has a ‘maker space’ for 3D printing and making stuff – seems to be a feature of most libraries now.

I love that this library is right in the busy hub of Fremantle. While I am there football is playing in the bar next door and waves of cheering can be heard when the glass doors open and close. Local history meets local flavour.

Guildford Library

Next up, is the tiny Guildford Library – which I discovered on my way home from a stand up paddle boarding venture. Not wishing to go straight home I decided to prolongue the peace for a further hour.

Small in stature but still managed to pack in a 3D Printing space and a buzzing children’s library. I have driven past this libary many times and this is the first time I have stopped. Well worth it! The story chair was pretty cool.

Town of Vincent Library

My local library – the Town of Vincent Library is an old haunt for me. When my kids were little we lived there – not in the current location but in the same building. Spacious and welcoming at the same time. Desks for sitting and nooks for tucking yourself into a corner. Women played Mahjong in the community room their tiles click clacking away.

As I continue my library crawl I find myself in country libraries while adventuring in the southwest and libraries near shopping centres I wouldn’t normally consider. There is even a sneaky visit to a library of high importance! Stay tuned for another library crawl installment – coming soon!